


Homeward Bound

by Anonymous



Category: Law & Order: SVU
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-30
Updated: 2015-09-30
Packaged: 2018-04-24 04:55:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,210
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4906294
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>He'd opened his mouth to but couldn’t form the words.  He would tell her to be safe, be careful, sleep tight, so many other things that might translate to some as I care about you and this is me saying it.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Homeward Bound

**Author's Note:**

> Written for praczovski’s prompt for ‘flight’.

She had been gone for 27 and a half days. Yes, he was counting and no, he didn’t care how ridiculous it was. A case that started in the borough of Manhattan had ballooned into an international manhunt, with Olivia Benson smack in the middle. By the time it was all said and done, the perpetrators were being held over for war crimes and Olivia was off to The Hague with three FBI agents and boxes of information on the exploits of sex traffickers and murderers. It was going to be a difficult case, even for some of the best lawyers in the world.

He called her, or vice-versa, at least twice a week while she was gone and they Skyped more than a few times. She was busy and tired, was looking forward to coming home. But this was also important work and she glad she got to be a part of it. While he toiled away in New York City, she would send him pictures of Old World architecture and some of the delicious meals she ate. He got short videos of beautiful flowers with facts she made up about them and cats sunning themselves on cobblestone.

Never once did Rafael tell her he missed her. He wanted to make sure she was taking care of herself. Was she getting enough sleep or drinking enough water? How was the case going? Did The Netherlands know they were just borrowing her and New York wanted her back? 

In a few conversations, Olivia was sleepy and sentimental. She was craving the strangest things like hot dog vendors and lunch in the morgue with Melinda. Had the city changed much? It was silly to assume so but she had lived there forever and could look at it. Not since going away to college in Albany had she been gone for so long. She needed the breather then. Now she just missed home.

He was nervous on the cab ride to the airport. Her flight was landing at 7:35 EST. She’d flown a short flight from The Hague to London, laid over for nearly three hours, and then took an eight hour flight from Gatwick to JFK. It would be 2 a.m. in The Hague by the time Olivia landed on U.S. soil. No doubt she would be wiped out. 

Between all the work, the jetlag, and surely the stiff joints…Rafael just wanted her to see a friendly face when she dragged herself from the plane. Not once during their calls, which were anything from quick to sharing a meal and drink together across thousands of miles, had he said he missed her. He'd opened his mouth to but couldn’t form the words. This from the man who was known for his oratory skills. He would tell her to be safe, be careful, sleep tight, so many other things that might translate to some as I care about you and this is me saying it. Rafael just couldn’t bring himself to say it.

JFK was the usual mess of traffic and people. People were coming, going, and waiting in every available space in the large set of connected buildings. Through a friend in TSA, Rafael was able to get a badge that sent him to the front of the security line. No one bypassed security anymore these days, no matter how important they or their friends were. He wasn’t carrying anything but himself so he got through without incident. 

Checking his watch and seeing it was already ten after seven, Rafael put a pep in his step as he made his way to the gate. He was looking in some of the stores and kiosks, selling everything from magazines to candy to sandwiches. Stopping at a customer service desk, he asked where he could buy flowers. There was a stand that sold anything he might be looking for but it was on the opposite of where he needed to be in 20 minutes. The ADA broke out into a jog. It was difficult to hide his heavy breathing when he got to the flower stand so he didn’t. Instead he looked at the vast array of colorful plants.

“I need something that tells her that I missed her.” He walked over to the older woman who was watering some daffodils.

“The pink camellia is probably best. It doesn’t mean I miss you so much as I've longed for you, but they’re beautiful and a little different.”

“How much for a dozen?”

“$27.”

He gave her a twenty and a ten, got his change, and jogged away. It was now 20 after seven and Rafael still had to get to the gate. There were people who seemed to have nowhere to go or plenty of time to get there so he zigzagged through the crowds. Gate E 12 was practically deserted but he saw that the plane had landed. The doors weren't opened yet, the airline employees were at the desk waiting to handle the unloading. 

Rafael used his phone to check his face. He checked to make sure there was nothing in his teeth. He popped an Icebreaker to make sure his breath was fresh. Inhaling the scent of the flowers, he was torn about whether she would like them or not. It was a little too late to worry about that now. 

He shuffled from foot to foot as someone opened the door. It took some time but slowly people started to filter down the walkway and out into the airport. There were some wheelchair bound passengers, sleepy kids being carried or dragged by sleepy parents, and some couples who looked like they couldn’t wait to fall into a bed in some lovely local hotel. Then Rafael saw her. 

He saw her before she saw him. She was wearing dark blue jeans and a gray hoodie. The hood was actually still over her head. She carried a messenger bag and pulled a small suitcase.

“Liv!” he didn’t mean to say it as loud as it came out.

Olivia immediately recognized the voice calling her name. What was he doing there? What was he doing there with flowers? Her lips immediately formed a smile as she quickened her pace to close the distance between them. Words, she needed to find some words. Her brain was so tired from the whole month away and the long trip home. 

“I missed you so much.” He held out the flowers. “Don’t ever leave me again.”

She sighed, took the flowers, and threw her arms around him. Damn it was good to be home. To be sure, Olivia never expected this welcome wagon but somehow it was exactly what she wanted. She hardly wanted to admit to herself how much she just missed being with him. 

It was lonely being so far away. It was strange to be working on such a big case and he wasn’t at her side being a wonderful pain in the ass. She never wanted to call or text too much but he was her connection to home. When had that happened? How had it happened without her knowing it?

“Just hold onto me.” She whispered in his ear. “Hold onto me and I promise I won't.”

***


End file.
